The season has changed, the rain has come, and I for one am quite excited about cozy sweaters, stews and soups, tea, blankets, snuggles, and all things pumpkin. For many of us, the season of summer had periods of excess, and many of us feel like pressing the reset button in September and October, as we gear up for Thanksgiving and Christmas. So, I thought I would share my kitchari recipe, given to me by the lovely Shivani Wells. A bit of background on kitchari: it is an ayurvedic recipe know for its ability to help the body detoxify and balance the doshas. Specifically, one of the main ingredients, mung beans, are known for their ability to remove toxins from the body. When it comes to vegetables, there are many variations. Note that it's best to use whatever vegetables are seasonal and local so that you're eating true to the transitioning seasons. Feel free to add some barley for extra fiber, too. I'm excited for my ayurvedic course in the nutrition program I'm taking, so stay tuned for lots more ayurvedic knowledge and recipes!

Here it is! It tastes delicious and makes the house smell divine. I haven't included specific measurements for a lot of the ingredients; feel free to play around!)

Soak 1 cup of green mung beans overnight and rinse.

In a large pot, melt ghee (or coconut oil) and add a stick of cinnamon bark, a whole cardamom pod, a couple of cloves (ground with mortar and pestle is best!), black pepper, a heaping spoon of ground turmeric, a dash of nutmeg and, if you have it, adding some powdered cinnamon and cardamom is great.

Simmer the spices in the ghee for about five minutes, or until you get the beautiful aromatics.

Add finely chopped carrots, as well as a bunch of chopped cilantro, unsweetened shredded coconut and currants or chopped raisins.

Stir on simmering heat for five minutes, then add the drained mung beans, and a cup of brown basmati rice. Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook on low until it's the consistency of porridge (60-90 minutes). I serve it with some pink Himalayan sea salt.